Patient
by AspireToGreatness
Summary: A short Neji x Sakura wedding fanfic. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Patient**

The mission was supposed to be only two days long. He promised he would be back in time for the wedding. It's been one week since he left, and the wedding is in three days.

"Are you O.k.?" I turned around.

"Yes, Ino. I'm fine"

"Are you sure? You've been standing by that window for ten minutes now."

"Oh. I'm sorry, It's just…"

"It's okay. I know." I can feel Ino's hand as she rests it on my back and pulls me in for a warm hug.

"I'm trying so hard to be patient."

"Patience was never your forte. I'm surprised you're so calm… there's been a lot of talk you know."

I nod. She whispers to me and looks around her in a paranoid way even though it is six a.m. and the shop is empty because she hasn't yet opened for the day,

"People are saying things."

"Let them talk." I respond as I play with a pink ribbon around one of the bouquets.

"What type of mission was it?"

"A B-rank mission. You know I'd never let him run off on an A-rank or S-rank mission right before our wedding."

"Hmmm…what did he say to you before he left?"

"Well, you know that he's a man of so many words." I smirk at her, and she giggles.

"He said 'meet me at the altar.'"

"Awe! That's so sweet." She coos, and continues

"Well, then we should get back to making these flower arrangements."


	2. Chapter 2

**1 Day Later**

"The flower arrangements are done, and the cake is being baked so it will be fresh for tomorrow. Did you pick up the wedding gown?" Ino swerves around and turns in a circle as she searches for Hinata, spots her and points at her with the pencil she is holding in her hand.

"Got it!" Hinata announces, and Ino checks it off on a long list she has pinned down to a clipboard.

Several people are buzzing around me in the large hotel ball room. They are decorating it for the reception with the colors French rose pink, teal and white; the colors of the wedding of course. I drum my fingers on the back of my hand as I watch everything happening. There's not much for me to do since Ino took over everything, and Hinata was taking care of me. All morning Hinata carefully styled my hair and then set it in rollers to keep the style, gave me a manicure and now she's painting my toe nails.

"Hinata you really didn't have to- " I repeat for the thousandth time today.

"Ssh!" She responds without even looking at me.

With nothing to do, there's not much for me to think about and I'm trying not to worry about what could go wrong.

"Come on people! Chop! Chop! The wedding is first thing tomorrow it's almost 5' o clock! Let's get this done!" Ino orders the workers and a small nervous girl standing beside her trips over the strings of the balloons in her hand.

She falls, and the balloons fly up to the ceiling.

"Nice one Suki!" Ino rolls her eyes.

"Now who is going to get those?" Ino says in a slow and patronizing tone. The girl shakes with fear, but a young boy from the academy races up to collect them all off the ceiling.

"Here Ino!" He salutes her as he hands her the balloons. Ino snatches them away and hands them to a different worker passing behind her.

"I'm not in charge of the balloons!" He protests as he shows her the large video camera he's holding and points it at her.

"I! Don't! Care!" Ino screams into the camera.

The young boy, Suki, and the camera guy all run away from her.

Lady Tsunade comes over to me and places her hand on my shoulder.

"And we all thought you would be the bridezilla!" She laughs.

"With Ino taking care of anything there's nothing to worry about."

"Except for-" Tsunade pauses, "But don't worry he'll be back."

I smile half heartedly and Tsunade walks away. I can feel my stomach turning in circles and I gasp for air fanning myself.

Hinata looks up as she closes the nail polish bottle.

"Is it too strong? Are you okay? Water! Water! Can someone get some water?!" She calls out.

In seconds a glass of water is pushed on my lips and I drink even though I wasn't thirsty.

"Thank you." I say as I swallow.

Hinata rubs my back.

"Don't worry he'll be here. He always keeps his word."

I nod at her. "Who got his tux?"

"The best man picked it up."

"Ok."

Hinata eyes me cautiously.

"I can't believe this is happening! I- I'm getting married!"

"Isn't it exciting?" She asks looking around with wide eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This part of the story switches to the first person p.o.v of Neji. Lyrics to 'Unconditionally' by Katy Perry in bold; just because I thought it fit nicely with the story . **

"The bride must be totally freaking out right now."

"Shutup Choji!" I dip my hand over the edge of the boat and splash water at Choji soaking him and his bag if barbeque chips. He made a face at me and angrily munched on his wet chips.

It was hard enough keeping calm on my own, and Choji's constant murmuring about how we'd never make it in time was starting to annoy me.

"Hey! Why don't you tell us again what you said to her before you left?"

"I said, meet me at the altar." Kiba, Shikamaru and Choji all laughed.

"Happy to lighten the mood here but it's not like you Mr. Romance Shikamaru. You and Temari have been dating for how long now?"

"Five years" Choji fake coughed as he answered my question.

"Honestly though, I never thought you would be the first to marry out of all the guys, and especially not to her." Kiba looks in my direction.

I look away from him, over the edge of the boat and out at the seemingly unending ocean.

"I loved her for a long time, she was just never looking in my direction. Still, I was patient, and one day…

***Flashback***

"Aaaah! It hurts!" I flinched, and shifted away from her hand.

**Oh no, did I get too close?  
>Oh, did I almost see what's really on the inside?<br>**

"You need to hold still, we have to get these kunai knives out of your back! Clean the wounds, and stitch them up."

"Aaah!" I bit my lip and clenched my fists. The pain was excruciating, but her tiny hands on my back had a reassuring feel to them. I looked up at her, and she smiled sweetly. Everything became blurry, and she brushed a tear off my cheek I had not realized was there.

**All your insecurities  
>All the dirty laundry<br>Never made me blink one time**

Then everything went black.

"You're very brave." She said to me when I woke up.

"You're very beautiful." I responded and a light blush tinted her cheeks.

I lifted my arm to touch her hair and my fingers just barely made it through a few lock before I couldn't bare the pain burning in my shoulder any longer. I hissed from the pain and my arm dropped back on to the bed.

"Don't try to move. You're not completely healed yet. Sorry about that Lady Tsunade doesn't want any of the medic-nin doing healing justu's unless the injuries are life threatening."

"It's ok. At least I had you as my doctor." I winked at her with a half smile.

**Unconditional, unconditionally  
>I will love you unconditionally<strong>

Her hand was resting on the side of my bed and I let my fingers brush against hers. She avoided my gaze by staring at a teacup she was balancing on her lap and holding while simultaneously holding it with her left hand.

"Sakura, there's something I've been waiting to tell you."**  
>There is no fear now<br>Let go and just be free  
>I will love you unconditionally<strong>

She looked at me, for a long while. I felt like she was seeing right through me. Her fingers slowly started wrapping around mine until she was fully holding my hand.

"I-I'" I stuttered I couldn't get the words I had waited years, days, months, seasons...to say out. My mouth was so dry and there were so many butterflies in my stomach.

**Come just as you are to me  
>Don't need apologies<br>Know that you are worthy  
>I'll take your bad days with your good<br>Walk through the storm I would  
>I do it all because I love you, I love you<strong>

"Sssh." She whispered gently.

"You don't have to say it. I feel the same way."

I was shocked, but my insides felt all warm.

"How did you? You do? Since when?" I was so shocked I couldn't form proper sentences.

"Since that day, I saw you training- you stopped and noticed that I was watching. Then you smiled and kept going, and trained even harder. I knew since then."

**Unconditional, unconditionally  
>I will love you unconditionally<strong>

"Why didn't you?"

"I was waiting for you to say something. Why didn't you?"

"I've never had good timing." I smiled sheepishly.

"It's a little sad that it took circumstances like this for me to finally tell you."

**There is no fear now  
><strong>"Actually, you didn't say anything."

I looked at her wide eyed and she laughed then poked me in the rib cage.

"Owww! What was that for?"

"The next time you make me wait I am going to hurt you even more."

I laughed. She was so cute when she furrowed her brows in anger.

**Let go and just be free**

"I'm not a very patient person."

"But you were for me?"

She nodded.

**I will love you unconditionally**

"Come closer." I whispered.

She placed her cup of tea on the bedside table and leaned over towards me.

I kissed her, and that kiss felt like every sunrise on a warm summer morning, every cool blow of an ocean breeze, like watching every twinkle of a star in the night, or watching each day fade into the twilight.

***Flashback Ends***

"After that day, the rest is history."

"You're going to be history if you miss this wedding." Choji muttered.

"He's right you know." Shikamaru agreed.

"Can't this boat go any faster!" I yelled at the captain.

"We're almost to Port One of Konohagakure son. Relax."

"Yeah, relax." Kiba echoed sarcastically as he leaned back with his arms behind his head and closed his eyes.

I took a deep breath.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Day of the Wedding**

"Alright Sakura! Everything's ready! It's show time!" Ino announces. All the braidsmaids line up behind her and walk out of my hotel suite. They are heading out to the lawn the ceremony was being held on.

I look in the mirror one last time, and left the room also. I wait behind the large glass doors at the back of the hotel and watch as the girls walk down the aisle with their partners one by one.

**So open up your heart and just let it begin  
>Open up your heart and just let it begin<strong>

First, Ino and Shikamaru.

Followed by, Hinata and Naruto.

Then, Tenten and Kiba.

Just like we rehearsed.

As Tenten and Kiba touched the top of the aisle, the organ fired up "Here Comes the Bride" **  
>Open up your heart and just let it begin<br>Open up your heart**

The giant glass doors of the hotel opened slowly and doves were released. I marched slowly up the aisle trying my best not to cry. I go to the altar and stopped. I stared straight forward at the priest as he whispered to me,

**Acceptance is the key to be  
>To be truly free<br>Will you do the same for me?**

"Thanks for being patient for me"

I glanced in his direction. He looked back at me.

**Unconditional, unconditionally  
>I will love you unconditionally<br>And there is no fear now**

"I would do it every day for the rest of my life." I said with a smile and he grinned.

"Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to join together in holy matrimony Sakura Haruno and Neji Hyuuga…" The priest spoke up.

"Do you Neji Hyuuga take Sakura Haruno to be your lawfully be wedded wife to love and to cherish in sickness and in health as you both may live till death do you part?"

"I do." Neji responded firmly.

"And do you Sakura Haruno take Neji Hyuuga to be your lawfully be wed husband to love and to cherish in sickness and in health as you both may live till death do you part?"

"I do." I respond.

**Let go and just be free  
>'Cause I will love you unconditionally (oh yeah)<br>I will love you (unconditionally)**

"Then I now pronounce you man and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Neji Hyuuga and Sakura Hyuuga. You may now kiss the bride."

**I will love you  
>I will love you unconditionally<strong>

And we kiss.


End file.
